Luka Doncic remains one of the NBA’s biggest international stars, but a new study has placed Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of him as the most influential European player in basketball over the last five years.
The study by Betsson, cited by Michael Duarte of the New York Post, ranked Europe’s top NBA players using a combination of team winning percentage, Google search traffic, and positive social media fan sentiment from 2020 through 2025.
Antetokounmpo finished first with an overall score of 96.66 out of 100. According to the study, the two-time NBA MVP posted a 61.9% team win percentage while generating massive worldwide search interest and a 61% positive fan sentiment score online.
Doncic finished second despite recording the highest positive fan sentiment score among players in the rankings at 62%. The Los Angeles Lakers star also generated more than 368,000 monthly Google searches during the study period.
The rankings arrive shortly after Doncic finished fourth in the 2026 NBA MVP voting despite leading the league in scoring.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Tops Luka Doncic in New European NBA Study
GettyMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
The study highlighted how international stars continue dominating the NBA landscape.
Antetokounmpo led the rankings ahead of Doncic, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
According to Michael Duarte of the New York Post, the rankings were based on “their team’s winning percentages, global popularity, and positive fan sentiment on social media.”
Duarte wrote that “international players are dominating the NBA landscape like never before,” noting that the last eight NBA MVP winners have all been international players.
Doncic’s placement stood out because of the contrast between his fan popularity and his recent MVP finish.
The Lakers guard averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.6 steals this season while leading the NBA in scoring. Despite those numbers, he finished fourth in MVP voting and did not receive a single first-place vote.
According to league voting results, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the award with 939 total points and 83 first-place votes. Jokic finished second, while Wembanyama placed third ahead of Doncic.
Doncic became the first NBA scoring champion since James Harden in 2020 to fail to receive a first-place MVP vote.
Duarte noted that many fans questioned whether Doncic’s reputation among opposing fan bases affected the voting outcome. However, the study’s social media data suggested otherwise because Doncic produced the highest positive sentiment score among all players included.
Other players featured in the study included Kristaps Porzingis, Rudy Gobert, Lauri Markkanen, Domantas Sabonis, Ivica Zubac, and Deni Avdija.
Luka Doncic Remains Centerpiece of Los Angeles Lakers Future
GettyLos Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic
Despite the MVP outcome and second-place ranking in the study, Doncic remains the centerpiece of the Lakers organization moving forward.
Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka recently said the franchise plans to continue building its roster around Doncic.
“The archetype of the roster that we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs,” Pelinka said. “Clearly he’s that leader and that player for the future that we want to build the right way around.”
Doncic missed the postseason after suffering a left hamstring strain on April 2. The Lakers were later swept by the Thunder in the second round.
“It’s very frustrating,” Doncic said during his exit interview. “I know some people wanted me back, but obviously I wasn’t close to clearing.”
Doncic added, “If I could be out there, I would be, 100%. Everybody in that room knows that.”
The 26-year-old also said he plans to skip international play with Slovenia this summer while focusing on recovery and spending time with his family.
Meanwhile, the Lakers continue evaluating offseason roster decisions around Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Deandre Ayton, and Marcus Smart.
Pelinka called the process an “ongoing collaborative process” with Doncic, as the organization continues to shape the roster for next season.
While Antetokounmpo may have claimed the top spot in the latest international influence rankings, Doncic’s popularity, production, and role within the Lakers organization continue to keep him among the NBA’s most prominent global stars.
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